Don’t call it a soup kitchen. For one thing, there’s hardly ever soup.

Northampton has a free community meal available six days a week. The meals are:

Monday, noon, St. John’s Episcopal Church

Tuesday, noon, St. John’s Episcopal Church

Wednesday, 6PM, Edwards Church

Thursday, noon, St. John’s Episcopal Church

Saturday, 11:30 AM, Edwards Church

Sunday, 5PM, Main Street (outside) in front of First Churches

These meals are for anyone. You don’t need to show any kind of identification, income verification or proof of residence. If you want to eat, then show up and eat. That’s it.

The meals are usually visited by a mix of individuals, mostly of the lower economic group. Some are homeless, some are living inside. Some are active addicts and some are in recovery, and some don’t have an addiction issue.

And the meals… Of late, they are restaurant quality. Have you ever heard of a soup kitchen that takes menu requests?

Each meal usually has a meat and a vegetarian option.

And at the meals, not only can you come back up for seconds (and thirds…) but you also get another meal to take home.

And so many pastries and breads.

One attendee has said that Northampton is one of the most generous cities in the country.

I write this to ask for support for the Manna Soup Kitchen. Please come by and have a meal if you’re hungry. Please come and volunteer if you are not hungry. Or do both. Sitting and sharing a meal and conversation is also service.

If you don’t have time to volunteer, drop off some clothes, blankets, gloves, jackets. If you bring donations to a soup kitchen, they go to people living outside. If you bring them to Good Will or the Salvation Army, they get sold to people looking for a bargain.

Manna Soup Kitchen, led by Bob and Lee, is doing an amazing job for our community in need, and I hope that those in need find their way there, and those who have their needs met find their way to helping to support the effort.